AuthorTopic: What did you think of the reissued Beatles catalog back in 1987? (Read 4063 times)

I want to ask you, as I was too young at the time (9), when the Beatles catalog was reissued on cd in 1987, what did you think? Did you like the sound? What did you think of the packaging and booklets? Did the whole thing meet your expectations?

The first album out on CD was Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on 1 June 1987. The advertisements read "It was twenty years ago today."

So I bought the CD and a SONY Discman D-5 that day. The CD only came in STEREO. I had the MONO LP. As Kevin said, it was nice to hear the album without the pops but I thought my LP sounded better even when I played the CD through my stereo system.

The jewel box packaging was poor and unimaginative. They would have done better to just put the CDs in miniature cardboard sleeves similar to the LPs but those boxes were all the rage. It would be a while before we got box sets.

I liked that the albums were coming to CD. They didnt sound great, but then again, i'm not a fan of the newest remasters either. As for packaging, its a CD and I see no issues with it. At least they came in jewel cases back then. Getting tough for that to even happen anymore.

They were okay, the packaging was bad. A lot of stuff got left out.I think the 2009s are a big improvement sonically especially the monos. I just wish the stereos were true digipaks with trays so I made my own.

The first album out on CD was Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band on 1 June 1987. The advertisements read "It was twenty years ago today."

Oh, so the cd´s were not released all at once?

I remember when I got into the Beatles.. it was in 1994, I ordered all the cd´s through mail service from the then biggest music retail in Iceland but later regretted it cause I so much wanted the "bread box":

..but of course I was not gonna buy all the albums again to have that box.. but then again.. I wanted that booklet that came with it.

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They were the most brilliant, powerful, lovable, popular group on the planet. - Q, 1995.

The booklet that came with the CD was pretty good because it showed The Beatles setting up to take the cover shot. It also had a directory of who was on the cover.

This was 1987 and there was no internet. We were seeing this for the first time. It was pretty exciting to see those pictures and learn who on the cover we had difficulty identifying over the past twenty years.

I remember when I got into the Beatles.. it was in 1994, I ordered all the cd´s through mail service from the then biggest music retail in Iceland but later regretted it cause I so much wanted the "bread box":

..but of course I was not gonna buy all the albums again to have that box.. but then again.. I wanted that booklet that came with it.

Sgt. Pepper's was released first, Brynjar. They made a big fuss over the "twenty years ago today" thing in the ads leading up to the release. Stores sold out of the CDs quickly that day.

I remember when the "bread box" became available. By then, I had all the CDs so I didn't bother with it. But I'm curious about what was in the booklet.

They were okay, the packaging was bad. A lot of stuff got left out.I think the 2009s are a big improvement sonically especially the monos. I just wish the stereos were true digipaks with trays so I made my own.

That's nice what you did there, George! Pear used digipaks for their Alternate Beatles CDs. I've always liked that format.

That's nice what you did there, George! Pear used digipaks for their Alternate Beatles CDs. I've always liked that format.

Thanks Barry. Unfortunately, the spines on The White Album and Past Masters were too narrow to enable the addition of two trays. And that's really a shame for The White Album since those discs were dang near impossible to get out.

I never had problems with the sound of the 1987 CDs; in fact they are still my Beatles catalog since I never bought the 2009 remastered CDs (though I've listened to parts of them). I admit that the quality of the 1987 digital masters is not the "best", but to my ears they sound warmer and more natural than the 2009 ones. Anyway, I did fall in love with the Beatles' music listening to those 1987 records, so they couldn't be that bad.

I want to add that i'm not fussy over the packaging. Its a CD and i'm not going to get a magnifying glass out to read the notes. I guess its never been a big deal to me. What did everybody do when cassette tapes were the sh*t?

I want to add that i'm not fussy over the packaging. Its a CD and i'm not going to get a magnifying glass out to read the notes. I guess its never been a big deal to me. What did everybody do when cassette tapes were the sh*t?

I, on the other hand, always think very much about the packaging. It´s always nice to see when bands are ambitious when it comes to packaging.

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They were the most brilliant, powerful, lovable, popular group on the planet. - Q, 1995.

I was disappointing that they did not Release the American Beatles until Now They are Ok No much of the fan of UK ones. and the Mixes are different from the American and They have Limited Range You can here the Tape hiss and You When high note was hit You can hear it break up and sound flat. And it did not sound clear as the vinyl did. EMI was smart to transfer everything Digital. But I like Analog better I think? now They sound better now then they was first issued on CD

Haha the bread box thing is neat. I was buying up all those 1987 releases individually as a broke teenager then they went and remastered everything on me after I had finally completed my collection :/ thanks a lot Apple.